End or cup brush and method of making



Oct. 15, 1963 J. A. LESS END ON CUP BRUSH AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed Sept. 22, 1960 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH A LESS.

bZ- M M W B ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent a corporation of @hio Filed Sept. 22, E60, Ser. No. 57,823 10 Claims. (Cl 15-198) This invention relates as indicated to an end brush, and more particularly to a power driven rotary end brush adapted to be chucked in a drill press or other rotary driving means.

A common form of end brush comprises a cup-shaped holder filled with axially extending bristle material which may be retained therein by means of adhesive, solder, or an appropriate ring about which the brush material is looped. Where the brush fill is substantially uniformly distributed, the bristles in the center portion of the brush face do not, of course, travel at as great a speed as those in the radially outer region of the brush face and accordingly perform relatively little brushing action on the work. Consequently, the center portion of the brush does not wear back very fast in use and the brush face eventually tends to become conical in form with the relatively ineffective bristles in the center portion holding the more rapidly moving bristles away from the work.

In the past, transverse rivet-s and the like have frequently been utilized to secure together the brush bristle holding components, and the assembly of the completed brush may require a number of operations requiring skilled labor satisfactorily to perform the same.

It is accordingly an important object of this invention to provide a rotary end brush in which the bristles are arranged in an annular region without provision of any bristles in the relatively ineffective central portion of the brush face.

Another object is to provide an entirely mechanical method of assembly of such end brush which will be simple, inexpensive and quick.

Still another object is to provide a rotary brushing tool in which the components are mechanically retained in place in an unusually secure fashion.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side View of a rotary end brush embodying the principles or" this invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the end brush of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the brush face of such brush;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the brush components similar to FIG. 2 but showing the arrangement of such components in a preliminary stage of assembly;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through such assembly and appropriate tools and fixtures effective to deform the inner tulbular element thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section through certain components showing a modified form of central member which may optionally be employed.

Referring now more particularly to said drawing and especially FIGS. 1-3 thereof, the embodiment of the invention there illustrated comprises a cup shaped holder 1 ordinarily of steel having a co-axial central spindle 2 adapted to be gripped in an appropriate chuck to drive 3,105,739 Patented 0st. 15, 1963 "ice such brush at high speed which may be as high as several thousand rpm. Brush bristle material such as steel wire 3 is secured within such holder and protrudes therefrom in a direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the tool, being doubled about a cylindrical sheet metal ring 4 within such cup located axially inwardly of the compressed hp 5 of the latter which affords a somewhat constricted mouth to such cup. Positioned centrally co-axially within the cup is a cylindrical sheet metal element 6 having a radially outwardlyextending flange portion 7 at its inner end seated against the inner bottom surface 3 of cup 1, thereby causing the bristle material 3 to be disposed in a cylindrical layer forming an annular brush face as best shown in FIG. 3. The outer end portion a of such cylindrical sheet metal 6 protrudes considerably beyond the inwardly compressed lip 5 of cup 1 and is flared outwardly as shown in FIG. 2, thereby cooperating with such lip to secure ring 4 and the inner doubled portion of the brush bristle material within the cup and against axial withdrawal therefrom. Inasmuch as the inner radially extending flange 7 of cylindrical element 6 extends outwardly beneath such doubled portion of the brush bristle material, the element 6 is likewise thereby firmly held against axial withdrawal from the assembly. It will thus be seen that the component parts of the novel end brush of this invention mutually cooperate to hold each other in place without the necessity of employing adhesive, solder, rivets or the like. This construction facilitates semi-automatic high speed production of the brush in a manner explained more in detail below.

Now referring more especially to FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing, the cup 1 may be seated within a fixture it) having a co-axial opening 11 adapted to receive the spindle 2, and the central cylindrical element 6 is placed within the cup, the outer (lower) end portion of such element being carried by the conical nose 12 of tool 13 seated co-axially within cylindrical support 14, such end portion of element 6 being in unflared condition as shown in FIG. 4 illustrating the preliminary assembly of the component parts. The upper end of cylindrical support 14 bears against retaining ring 4 and relative coaxial reciprocation of fixture lit and support 14 will consequently serve to force such ring 4 and the doubled portion of brush material 3 to the maximum extent possible within cup 1 while simultaneously the conical nose 12 of tool 1?) acts to flare the outer end portion 9 of the central cylindrical sheet metal element or sleeve 6. The

brush assembly will thereupon be removed from fixture it and the lip portion 5 rolled or otherwise swaged to constrict the annular opening through which the layer of brush material protrudes to ensure retention of ring 4 and the doubled portion of the brush material within the cup. It will be appreciated that such doubled portion of the brush material layer will evince a degree of resilient compressibilit the tendency of such doubled portion to expand or bulge further assisting in retaining the bristle material within the cup.

While such brush bristle material may most frequently comprise crimped steel wire, a wide variety of materials may be employed for this purpose including tampico fiber, stainless steel wire, plastic coated wire and the like. While it has not been found necessary to utilize any adhesive or other binding material in order to produce an eminently successful brushing tool, nevertheless such materials may also be employed within the cup if such should be desired. Likewise, the central element 6 may be bonded or Welded to the bottom of the cup to reinforce the same if desired.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a modified form of central element is shown which maybe substituted for cylindrical element 6 if desired, this comprising a cylindrical plug 15 having a radially extending portion 16 at its irmer end and an outer cylindrical portion 17 produced by drilling out such end and which is adapted thereafter to be flared as shown, in the final assembly.

The cup of this new tool may be encased in a suitable plastic such as polyethylene or vinyl chloride in the manner taught in the eo-pending application of Vernon K. Charvat, Serial No. 700,496, filed December 3, 1957, now Patent No. 2,989,767, to provide a distcnsible constricted support for the brush material in a region extending a short distance beyond the constricted lip 5 of the tool. it will be seen that a power driven rotary end brush has been provided in which the component elements mutually cooperate in a novel manner to secure one another firmly together in a way enabling high speed inexpensive manufacture thereof. The brush bristle material may if desired subsequently be embedded in suitable elastcmeric material such as sponge neoprene (see Stingley Patent No. 2,950,495). An annular end brush is obtained having no brush material in the central portion thereof where such material is not only ineifective for its intended purpose but also interferes with proper action of the radially outer bristles in use. A controlled brushing action is obtained as well as a relatively dense brush face due to the outwardly flaring end portion of the central element which protrudes beyond the lip of the cup at distance which may, for example, correspond to about one-half the depth of such cup. Of course, the central element 6 need not project appreciably beyond the confines of the cup if the extended inner brush material supporting action should not be desired, and likewise the outer end of such element need not necessarily be expanded if the mouth of the cup is sufficiently necked in and the brush material directing influence of the expanded portion is not required. The cup lip, while compressed as shown, should preferably not turn inwardly at its extreme edge in order to avoid too localized pressure on the outermost brush bristles which might tend to lead to excessive breakage of the latter in use. The dimensions and proportions of the several components may be varied to provide brushes more on the order of cup brushes having a certain amount of outward flare of the brush material.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A power drivenrotary end brush comprising a metal cup having a co-axially extending stern for chucking in appropriate drive means, a centrally located co-axial sheet metal cylindrical element within said cup having a radially outwardly flaring preformed flange on its inner end portion seated against the inner bottom of said cup, a cylindrical sheet metal annulus entirely within said cup spaced between the walls of the latter and said inner cylindrical element, and a layer of brush bristle material folded about said annulus within said cup and tightly resiliently filling the space between the wall of said cup and said central cylindrical element, the inner end of such folded portion bearing against and closely overlying said radially outwardly extending flange portion of said central element which thus extends between the bottom of said cup and said inner end of the folded portion of said bristles with said annulus being positioned entirely axially outwardly beyond said flange portion, the other end of said central element extending substantially outwardly beyond the lip of said cup and being outwardly flared, and the lip of said cup being inwardly compressed to form a constricted neck through which said layer of brush bristles extends, whereby the annular layer of brush bristles is held against withdrawal from said cup and the inner doubled portion of said layer serves through engagement with the inner radially extending flange portion d of said central element to prevent axial withdrawal of the latter.

2. The end brush of claim 1 in which such brush bristle material is steel wire.

3. The end brush of claim 1 wherein said central element is a solid plug having an outwardly flared outer end portion and a radially outwardly extending preformed flange on its inner end portion.

4. A power driven rotary brush comprising a cup shaped holder, a ring located co-axially within said holder, brush material doubled about said ring with the ends thereof protruding from said cup in an annular layer, and a separate generally cylindrical central element positioned centrally co-axially within said cap having a laterally outwardiy extending preformed flange on its inner end portion extending beneath said doubled brush material between the latter and the bottom of said cup to prevent withdrawal relative to said brush material, with said ring being positioned entirely axially outwardly beyond said laterally extending inner end portion of said central element, the outer end portion of said element protruding beyond the confines of said cup and flaring laterally outwardly, and the lip portion of said cup forming a constricted neck to cooperate with said flaring end portion of said central element to prevent withdrawal of said ring and brush material from said holder.

5. The brush of claim 4, wherein said brush material comprises resilient steel wire having a tendency to bulge in the region :where thus doubled about said ring.

6. A power driven rotary brush comprising a cup shaped holder, a ring located co-axially within said holder, brush material doubled about said ring with the ends thereof protruding from said cup in an annular layer, and a separate generally cylindrical central element positioned centrally co-axially within said cup having a laterally outwardly extending preformed flange on its inner end portion extending beneath said doubled brush material between the latter and the bottom of said cup to prevent withdrawal relative to said brush material, with said ring being positioned entirely axially outwardly beyond said laterally extending inner end portion of said central element and the latter being firmly seated against the bottom of said cup, and the lip portion of said cup forming a constricted neck to cooperate with said central element to prevent withdrawal of said ring and brush material from said holder.

7. A brush comprising a cup shaped holder, a ring located co-axially within said holder, brush material doubled about said ring with the ends thereof protruding from said cup in an annular layer, and a central element within said cup internally of said ring and annularlayer having a preformed radially outwardly extending flange on its inner end firmly seated against the bottom of said 011;) and extending laterally beneath the doubled portion of said layer to prevent withdrawal of said element relative to said ring and layer, with said ring being positioned entirely axially outwardly beyond said radially outwardly extending flange, said element supporting the radially inner side of said layer of brush material and the mouth of said cup being constricted to retain said ring, brush material, and central element in place.

8. The brush of claim 7, wherein the outer end portion of said central element is of increased diameter relative to the body of said element to cooperate with such constricted mouth to retain said brush material.

9. The brush of claim 7, wherein said central element extends axially a substantial distance beyond the confines of said cup shaped holder and the outer end portion of said element is of increased diameter relative to the body of said element to support and control said brush material in this region.

10. The method of producing an end brush which comprises inserting a cylindrical element having a laterally outwardly projecting flange on its inner end portion co-axially Within a cup shaped holder to seat said end portion directly against the inner bet-torn surface of such holder, doubling an annular layer of brush material about a ring, inserting such ring and doubled portion in such holder between the Wall thereof and such element over such projecting end portion of the latter with such doubled layer of bristles bearing against such flange which extends between such layer and the bottom of such cup, such ring lying entirely Within the confines of such cup, and then expanding the outer end portion of such element and compressing the lip of such holder to constrict the region through which such brush material protrudes from such holder.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 960,216 1,874,475 Ellingham Aug. 30, 1932 1,995,282 Replogle Mar. 19, 1935 2,449,158 Benyal: Sept. 14, 1948 2,634,167 Bible Apr. 7, 1953 2,755,496 Benyak July 24, 1956 Dixon May 31, 1910 

6. A POWER DRIVEN ROTARY BRUSH COMPRISING A CUP SHAPED HOLDER, A RING LOCATED CO-AXIALLY WITHIN SAID HOLDER, BRUSH MATERIAL DOUBLED ABOUT SAID RING WITH THE ENDS THEREOF PROTRUDING FROM SAID CUP IN AN ANNULAR LAYER, AND A SEPARATE GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CENTRAL ELEMENT POSITIONED CENTRALLY CO-AXIALLY WITHIN SAID CUP HAVING A LATERALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PREFORMED FLANGE ON ITS INNER END PORTION EXTENDING BENEATH SAID DOUBLED BRUSH MATERIAL BETWEEN THE LATTER AND THE BOTTOM OF SAID CUP TO PREVENT WITHDRAWAL RELATIVE TO SAID BRUSH MATERIAL, WITH SAID RING BEING POSITIONED ENTIRELY AXIALLY OUTWARDLY BEYOND SAID LATERALLY EXTENDING INNER END PORTION OF SAID CENTRAL ELEMENT AND THE LATTER BEING FIRMLY SEATED AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF SAID CUP, AND THE LIP PORTION OF SAID CUP FORMING A CONSTRICTED NECK TO COOPERATE WITH SAID CENTRAL ELEMENT TO PREVENT WITHDRAWAL OF SAID RING AND BRUSH MATERIAL FROM SAID HOLDER. 